5:36:25 PM | 27/1/2008
Each spring, Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature becomes a tourism destination for people in the capital. With ancient cultural space, folk games highlighting national features, the Temple of Literature has been a cultural feature of Hanoi in spring for many years. Cultural activities at the Temple of Literature during the traditional Tet holiday this year have been well prepared, looking ahead to the 1000 year ceremony of Thang Long - Hanoi. Mr Dang Kim Ngoc, Director of the Management Board of Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature talked with VIB Forum reporter Anh Tuan.
“Fully Exploiting the Traditional Beauty of Hanoi”
Every year for the New Year celebration, Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature is an entertainment destination for local people. Could you please talk about preparation activities of the temple’s Management Board this year?
Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) is a significant historical heritage site of the country. It has a great moral value for people in the country and Hanoians in particular. The temple also has an advantageous position for entertainment activities for people in the New Year. Each year, the Temple of Literature welcomes hundreds of sightseers, especially around New Year’s when ten thousand visitors arrive each day.
In the last month of 2007, the Dinh Hoi Year, the Management Board of Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature has redecorated the temple with banners and slogans, hung decorative multi-coloured lanterns, and planted flowers and potted plants.
We have also contacted and invited Dao Thuc Puppetry Group to perform at Quoc Tu Giam from 2 to 11 during Tet holiday. The performance will focus on folk festivals highlighting merry spring atmosphere of the country. Audiences can enjoy the performance free of charge.
During spring, we will also hold Vietnamese Script Calligraphy Exhibition, and display penmanship sets of Vietnam for local people to enjoy.
In addition, we will organise some large-scale activities, such as the “Vietnam, Quoc Tu Giam in Ancient Period” exhibition displaying relics and images on different periods of the Literature Temple, and cooperate with Vietnam Chess Association to hold a human chess contest. We have travelled to Dao Xa District of Ha Tay Province to invite a human chess team there. Attending the human chess team will be upper secondary pupils, 15-18 years old, wearing spring costumes.
We will hold talks on spring poetry and Tet verse, with Mr Vu Quan Phuong, a famous speaker on Vietnam’s poetry. From January 15 of the lunar calendar, Vietnam’s Writers Association will organise Nguyen Tieu Poetry Festival (to commemorate the night of the fifteenth of the first lunar month) at Quoc Tu Giam.
We are also going to coordinate with literature and sinology organisations to hold handwriting contests and give samples to visitors. This is also one of the most attractive activities for visitors to the temple.
What are the differences in this year’s festival in comparison with those every year at the Temple of Literature?
Spring activities at the Temple of Literature are often held on the theme “Spring and Traditional Tet”, but this year will see many new features. Hanoi is heading for the anniversary ceremony of 1000 years of Thang Long, and entertainment programmes in the Temple of Literature will fully exploit the traditional cultural beauty of Hanoi, focusing on images and contents to celebrate this significant event.
We will have a potted plant display representing 12 animal designs. At the gate of Ho Van, we will display two big decorative plants picturing the two dragons to welcome the 1000 year anniversary of Thang Long.
“Young people, pupils are important subjects”
Quoc Tu Giam Temple of Literature symbolizes the fondness for learning and culture of Vietnam. What will the temple’s Management Board do in the coming years to maintain that beautiful image?
Managing a such significant historical heritage site of great cultural and moral value, we have been trying to carry out activities touching the humanity, traditions, love of learning and national pride of each Vietnamese citizen.
We have actively contacted schools in the city to encourage pupils to come here to attend creative games.
At the Temple of Literature, we have also launched the contest “Encouraging creativeness” to maintain and uphold national cultural characteristics, and increase the popularity of these activities among visitors.
In 2008, we plan to partner with the Department of Education of Hanoi to organise an exhibition on teaching and learning tools, aiming at setting up cultural space for teachers and pupils. We will hold these programmes continuously until 2010 when Hanoi will celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of Thang Long.
What would you like to do to further improve service quality at the LiteratureTemple?
Each year, the Temple of Literature attracts a large number of arrivals, in which foreign tourists account for over 40 per cent. For domestic visitors, our services are targeted at pupils and college students because they will be the future of the country, and they need to be educated and nourished with love for the country.
It will be difficult to attract more visitors if activities in Literature Temple are only brief introductions. We would like to carry out more service activities within the area of the Literature Temple, such as selling stationery for learning, traditional fine arts and handicraft products of trade villages in Vietnam, and beverages to serve visitors. In this way, the Temple of Literature will be able to attract more tourists to come here.
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